A draft of the long-term plan to develop a bicycle/pedestrian network in Chatham, Jerome, Rochester, Sherman and Springfield was unveiled Wednesday.

Yearlong effort

The plan is part of a yearlong effort by a steering committee consisting of representatives from each community, state and transportation officials, as well as bicycling enthusiasts. About 25 people attended the meeting at Springfield’s Lincoln Library.

Public comment on the draft plan will be accepted through May 1.

Linda Wheeland, senior planner at the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission, said it could take decades to carry out the plan. However, having something in place makes it easier for communities to seek funding, she said.

“If the plan were completely implemented, there would be a (trail) network similar to the roadway network,” she said.

Exact numbers for how much the new plan would add to bike/pedestrian trails in urban areas weren’t immediately available

Trails would double

However, Ed Barsotti, director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, said off-road trails would roughly double under the new plan, and the number of bikeways on streets would go from fewer than 10 miles to about 60 miles.

The plan calls for a number of different ways to connect trails, including widening sidewalks, adding bike lanes, painting shared lane markings and adding signs.

As for how an increased number of bicyclists on streets would affect motorists, Wheeland said she believes the two could coexist.

Lynn Miller of Springfield said making it easier for bicyclists to commute would have a tremendous health benefit as well.

“When you make it accommodating for a person to ride their bicycle from home, it is kind of the ultimate green travel plan,” he said.